The jeep turned out to be surprisingly well maintained, as it did not shake too much on the road. We passed by the temple, where the festival was about to start. Balu slowed down to wave at some people who looked like the organising committee members. A few people were working on the stage, and a makeshift hall was covered with sheets.
“Till last year, we only had the stage, and the audience used to sit on the temple ground in front. But last year, rains came early and made a mess of our plans”, Balu explained. “This year, we have put this tin-sheet roof, so that all can come and sit in peace, watching all programs”, he continued.
“What programs are you planning this year?” I interrupted him.
“Oh, we have a lot of programs lined up this time. We have ganamela, ballet, drama, and even kathakali for a couple of days. I am also in a drama troupe, and we are preparing a new one to perform this year”, he explained with a smile, taking his eyes off the road to look at me.
“Great! Anyway, I am here for a few days, so I can also come and watch”, I suggested.
“Sure sir, I will take you”, said Balu, his face lighting up.
Slowly we turned from the tarred road to a mud road, with a lot of stones pointing up. I took the camera bag from the back seat and held it on my lap. We were in the middle of a paddy field, with the road going into the forest. The field was full of water due to the rains and there was a raft of ducks swimming around.
The greenery soon turned to darkness and the sound of the forest surrounded us, as the jeep entered the woods. The trees were standing close to each other, with the branches fighting for space. The bigger trees seem to have won, as their branches reached up above others. They all stood up proud, reaching for the sun and the sky. There was thick growth on the forest floor also, with a lot of bush covering the whole area. The whistling sound of insects soon filled the air, as Balu struggled to steer the jeep across the rough terrain.
As we turned a bend in the road, a tree was lying there, covering half the road. Balu stopped and got out, asking me to stay put. The log was not very big, and he managed to move it enough to create a route. He came back, got into the jeep and said, “It was not there when I went home yesterday night. Must have fallen during the rain. Elephants also cross this road, going to a stream on the other side”
We continued on the same road, albeit at a slower pace, and reached a dead end where the road gave way to a huge rock. There seemed no way to go around it. Balu put the jeep into four-wheel drive and slowly started climbing the rock. I held on to a bar fixed on the dashboard for safety. The jeep kept on climbing at an angle, and I looked outside. I saw a monkey look at us, hanging on his tail with a vacant expression. The shaking jeep and the humans would have looked normal to him.
The jeep reached the top of the rock, turned right sharp, and reached a clearing. Suddenly I realised that we had reached the forest lodge, as it stood majestically, looking over a vast expanse of the forest below and hills in the distance.
I felt a sense of deja vu, as I got out and stood in front of the old building, made of stone. The wide veranda and large windows reminded me of a time when the land was ruled by the British.
I breathed in the clean mountain air, scented with the sweet smell of unknown flowers. The valley ahead of the building felt alive in the morning sun, as the rays fell over the trees. There was a humming sound in the background, as the bees and the birds started their day.
Balu had gone ahead and opened the front door and the large windows up front. He came back to the jeep to take my bags inside the old guesthouse. I walked around the building to take in the view and took some pictures of the hills and the rays of the morning sun falling on the leaves below.
I walked around to the left of the lodge to find a clearing, right on the edge of the hill. There were some half-burned logs of wood lying in the center, dampened by the rain.
“We have a campfire for our visitors here”, I turned around to find Balu talking to me as he came near. “We also do some practice for our troupe, when nobody is staying here”, he added with a smile.
“So what would you like for breakfast, sir? I can make puttu and kadala curry or dosa or idli . I will make them as you get refreshed”, he said.
“Puttu and kadala curry would be fine”, I added, as I walked towards the house. ”I am very much hungry, so you better make a little more”, I added with a wink.
“Sure sir. And you can use the first room on the left. I have kept your bags in the room”, Balu said, as I walked up the steps.
It was a single-storeyed building, with a high roof. The veranda was wide, with two chairs arranged on either side of the front door. The walls were made of rectangular blocks of stone, and the door was big and wide.
The chairs inside the drawing room looked old but sturdy. There was an old-world feeling about the place, and that was the charm also. I could see doors to four rooms, opening from the drawing room, and a passage leading towards the back of the house.
Deciding to explore later, I went to my room and found my bags kept on the side table. The room had windows opening to the front and side of the building and a door to the bathroom. I took my dresses to change and went to get freshened up.
Half an hour later, after a wonderful hot bath, I felt clean and refreshed. I came out of the room and walked towards the back of the guest house to find Balu arranging food on the table.
“Sir, do you want coffee or tea?” he asked, serving puttu and kadala curry on a plate. “Tea will be fine”, I replied, as I started eating. I realised that I had not had this combination in a long time. It was really tasty, and the smell of curry and masala filled the room. Balu brought the tea by the time I finished and stood by the side of the table. The tea had a distinct aroma, and I asked him what it is.
“Did you like it sir?” he asked with a smile and continued,” It is a special mixed tea, with traces of cardamom and ginger added to the tea powder. All the people who come to stay here like it and take back a packet when they return”.
“The taste is quite distinct, but I feel like I have had it somewhere before”, I replied, thinking about where I had tasted it before.
“How long will you stay here sir, a week?” he asked.
“I have planned for about 5 days, but then I have to travel to another place called Cheriyakavu. How far is it from here?” I asked.
“It is about one hour’s drive from here. Actually, our drama troupe has a booking at the temple festival there in a week’s time. And you can also come with us”, he offered. “But they will decide only after they see our performance this week”, he added.
“Oh that is good! Tell me more about your troupe and the play”, I asked Balu as I washed up and moved to the front of the building.
We went out to the veranda and I sat on the chair kept there. Balu sat on the steps, as I lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply. The smoke went deep inside, triggering a feeling of contentment. I offered one to Balu and he also did the same, and started his story.
He said, “I always wanted to be an actor, even from a young age. I would act out the scenes from movies, which would come to our old theatre. I used to act out in front of the mirror at home. I formed a drama troupe at school and we would stage plays in school. At one point, I even went to Madras to pursue the dream of acting. But nothing happened and I came back. This job of caretaker here has been done by my father and grandfather also. When my father passed away, I dropped my acting dream and joined here. Now I at least get some salary, to feed my family”.
“Last year, an old friend came here with his troupe to perform a play at the festival here at the temple. He was a fellow struggler during my Madras days, and he put the thought in my mind. I also started a troupe with a few of my friends and started putting together a play. We also got the chance to stage the play at the festival this time. I am still in touch with my old friend, and he helped me get this chance for next week’s performance at Cheriyakavu. He is part of the festival organising committee there”, he stopped and looked at me.
He continued, happy that I was listening, He said, “On his deathbed, my father told me – You will not get another age or life to do what you want; you can still do it, follow your dreams. That stuck to my heart, and I have been doing small stints here and there, even as I work here. Now I have got a chance to stage my own play”.
I stood up and walked to the edge of the veranda to tap the dust off the cigarette. I smiled at him as I turned and said, “I am happy to get the chance of watching your troupe practice and also watch you on stage during my stay here.”
I felt the urge to tell him my story too but controlled, “I am a photojournalist with Travel Trails magazine – you wouldn’t have heard of it. I am creating a series on the lesser-known trails and have come here for that purpose. I travel to different places across India, but being a Malayalee, I decided to come to Kerala for this series”. I paused to look at Balu and continued, “I will also need your help. You will have to take me to places in the forest, where people have not gone before. And also to the temple, as festival time is the best for getting great shots”.
Balu agreed instantly, “Definitely, Sir! I will give you all the help you need. Who knows, after reading your article, we may get more visitors also”.
He asked, “Do you want to go around now or take a rest? You wouldn’t have slept much yesterday night, sleeping on that bench”.
I said, “Yes, I will take some rest now, and we can start after lunch. And, when are you doing your practice? I want to see that”.
Balu replied, “We are almost done with the practice. We are going on stage this week, so we will just have some final practice, with our costumes and props. We will do them at night, here itself. You can also watch it today”.
He stopped with a sigh and said, “Ok, I will also go and make lunch, while you rest”.
I threw away the butt of the cigarette and walked back inside the guest house. I lied down and felt a wave of tiredness sweep over my legs and arms. I slowly closed my eyes, thinking about our journey to the forest lodge in the jeep. The vibration and sound of the engine filled my mind, as I drifted off to sleep.